My Thoughts on the Blindsided Referee

During a recent high school football game, a referee was blindsided by two players after he made calls detrimental to their team and/or allegedly used racial slurs toward them. While some people are calling for the players’ arrests, others are surely finding humor in the situation, if not justifying their actions altogether. I see an opportunity, though, to address a couple things.

For one. Neither the racial tension, nor the spectacle of violence upon which this situation rests was born in a vacuum. This was simply a video-recorded manifestation of these pillars, wrapped up in an American pastime; not to mention a Texas tradition. Though we cannot expect those aggrieved to respond exactly as we would or as we think they should, there’s absolutely no excuse for initiating violence. I think the calls for arrest are overblown and highly reactionary, as kidnap and incarceration rarely – if ever – improve matters. Therefore, any response offered by the State is a complete non-starter.

What can help, however, is challenging this idea that certain words and otherwise nonviolent offenses are justifiable triggers toward physical aggression. And we can use non-governmental methods of discouraging violent behavior. The long-term, most appropriate and - I would reason - the only path forward is a strict adherence to Non-Aggression.

It’s an age-old instruction that most people [who consider themselves civilized] were taught growing up. Its exercise requires some discipline at times. It’s a simple matter of fair, equitable treatment. And it’s very straightforward. Keep your hands to yourself! Our evolution depends on it.